30 companies nominated for the Green Business Award

From a Geneva-based SME that uses a data center to heat 6,000 apartments to a three-person scale-up in Sarn that locates methane leaks in real time: 30 companies from a wide range of sectors have been nominated for the eighth Green Business Award. They all prove that sustainability also pays off economically. For the first time, SMEs and scale-ups are being honored in separate categories.

New award structure reflects the diversity of the economy

The Green Business Award is being presented for the eighth time - and for the first time, the diversity of the nominated companies is also reflected in the award structure. The SME category recognizes companies that have consistently transformed their existing business model in the direction of climate protection. The Scale-up category honors young companies that use new technologies to think about sustainability as a business model from the ground up.

«If the economy is really to be part of the solution, we need both: the disruptive technologies of scale-ups and the breadth of established companies that are transforming their business model,» says Cédric Habermacher, Director of Green Business Switzerland.

This is how diverse the Swiss economy is

The range of nominated solutions shows how widespread sustainability already is as a business model. Infomaniak from Geneva feeds the waste heat from its data center into the district heating network - enough for 6,000 apartments in winter - and thus taps into a new source of income from infrastructure that is already running. Jura Materials replaces energy-intensive clinker in cement with local Swiss clay: lower emissions, less dependence on imports, lower production costs. Textilcolor increases production capacity with a new after-soaping agent and simultaneously reduces CO₂ emissions by 56 %.

In the scale-ups, SensorX Solutions makes methane leaks visible in real time - and helps energy companies to avoid expensive losses. Novamem reduces electricity costs in the production of green hydrogen with a new membrane technology.

«Saving our planet is not a charity project, but the business model of the future,» says Doris Leuthard, former Federal Councillor and jury president of the Green Business Award.

Jury, process and award

The selection process for the Green Business Award takes place in a multi-stage procedure. After around 40 partner organizations of the award - including Economiesuisse, Swisscleantech, Swissmem and the WWF - have submitted their nominations, a preliminary jury selects the three best solutions in each category. The finalists then present their solution in a pitch to the main jury chaired by Doris Leuthard.

The nominees at a glance

SME category:

Bathco (Zurich ZH) - Circular-Economy Partner: Circular solutions for aluminum production. Belimo (Hinwil ZH) - RetroFIT+: data-based optimization of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Girsberger (Thunstetten BE) - Girsberger Remanufacturing: remanufacturing of furniture. Hilding Anders Switzerland (Schänis SG) - Happy Second Life: remanufacturing of mattress returns. Hotel Schweizerhof Zurich (Zurich ZH) - Sustainability strategy: resource efficiency in hotel operations. Infomaniak (Les Acacias GE) - D4: energy-efficient data center with heat utilization. Jura Materials (Aarau AG) - Calterra: low-CO₂ cement line made from local clay. Liveo Research (Basel BS) - Recyclable and low-CO₂ blister packaging. Lonza (Basel BS) - Recycling of solvents in production. Rigi Bahnen (Arth SZ) - Sustainable integrated mountain railroad and tourism model. SGS (Baar ZG) - «Value to Society» and «IMPACT NOW»: measurable sustainability for companies. Swisscom (Worblaufen BE) - Data Driven Sustainability: data-based CO₂ and ESG management for companies. Textilcolor (Sevelen SG) - LAVAN ESA: for resource-efficient textile processes. UCB Farchim (Bulle FR) - Decarbonized pharmaceutical production as a business model. Vögeli Marketingproduktion & Druck (Langnau im Emmental BE) - Cradle to Cradle Certified®: printing and packaging solutions.

Scale-up category:

AgroSustain (Renens VD) - Afondo: edible coating for fresh produce. Evolium Technologies (Sion VS) - Modular second-life battery storage systems for households, apartment buildings and SMEs. ExerGo (Yverdon-les-Bains VD) - CO₂-based heat networks for heating and cooling. GRZ Technologies (Avenches VD) - UPSOM: methanation reactor for power-to-gas. Hydroliq (Lucerne LU) - Disinfection solutions based on HOCl. KLARK (Landquart GR) - Concrete with permanent CO₂ storage. Meteomatics (St. Gallen SG) - EURO1k: European weather model for precise forecasts. Nikin (Aarau AG) - Circular fashion with return system. Novamem (Schlieren ZH) - Mythen Membrane for more efficient green hydrogen. OceanSafe (Bern BE) - naNea®: biodegradable and recyclable high-performance materials. Panatere (Saignelégier JU) - Stainless steel and special alloys from industrial scrap and solar energy. rezonanz (Zurich ZH) - Platform for measuring investment stewardship. SensorX Solutions (Sarnen OW) - FluX Multi: Multimodal methane monitoring. upVolt (Basel BS) - Second-life batteries as a home storage solution. Yeastup (Brugg AG) - Ingredients from beer production side streams.

More information on the 30 nominees: https://greenbusinessaward.ch/nominierte/